5 decisions that made October easier.

1. That declutter lifeeee

I decluttered my wardrobe again, I was determined to have minimal items for minimal cleanup and fuss. My goal is to eventually get down to 30 items that I just rotate like a capsule wardrobe.. If you don’t know what a capsule wardrobe is there is a fantastic blog post about it here.

I am such a sentimental person and I hold onto things and items just because there is a memory associated with these objects. In that case, what I do is put them in a separate bag and back into my closet on the shelf. In a months time if I haven’t reached for it to take an item I MUST donate/discard the items.
This system has worked very well for me in decluttering and provided me with clarity and a sureness when letting go of these material objects.

It also helps to ask guiding questions such as,
“Is this broken or damaged in any way?”
“Does this item still fit me in a flattering manner?”
“Is this still my style?”
“Do I feel good when wearing this/using this?”

The guilt and regret will creep in too, that’s normal when moving on from anything in life. Thoughts like, “wasted dreams, wasted opportunities, wasted time, and wasted money (my favourite)” will start to pop up. It’s important to recognise that voice and kindly ask it to shut the fuck up.
In total, I discarded two full bags of clothes and donated them to the Salvos. I would like to slowly but surely work my way down to a wardrobe where I don’t feel fatigued with what to wear questions and easily pick out items I love. It’s the little things that make life great.

2. Making time to do projects

This has been a tremendous weight upon my shoulders throughout the years. The excuse of, “I don’t have time for that.” As well as a mixture of self-doubt, victimisation, self-sabotage and imposter syndrome making the perfect cocktail I kept sipping from even though the aftertaste was bitter.

I made a decision to stop drinking from that cocktail, even if it was a tiny sip here and there. In October it needed to stop. Bad habits need to be quit cold turkey.
I forced myself to step out of my comfort zone and attend events such as Integrity20 in Brisbane where I worked in a newsroom. I forced myself to start university papers early in Tri2 so that the procrastination demon didn’t possess my soul and the panic monster awaken three days before they are due.

I use the word “force” because what I really mean is scheduling time with yourself. Making appointments with yourself and showing up for those appointments.

If you’re an intense procrastinator this will be a huge challenge in itself. I can write all the to-do lists and schedule all the things in my diary but that doesn’t mean I will do any of them. (Lol lets just go on YouTube and binge watch videos completely irrelevant to my life).
It seems so simple but it’s so difficult. You must remove distractions. I have a Tomato timer (Pomodoro method) in my Google Chrome bar and this blocks all social network sites for 25minutes while working and then allows you a 5minute break. This is one of the only things that has helped me to stay focused when working on a creative project.
Leaving my phone downstairs, or furthermore, turning it off completely.
Investing in an alarm clock instead of using my phone, having no electronic devices in the bedroom and turning off all notifications so I’m not constantly distracted.
These are simple but life-changing things to take back wasted time.

3. Daily cleaning

Again, this seems so simple but it’s something that doesn’t happen when you’re a professional procrastinator with a PhD in bad habits. Little tasks like making my bed in the morning, cleaning all the dishes before I go to bed and do a quick vacuum of the kitchen after cleaning up the daily dinner mess, making sure I put away all my paperwork, books and pens when I’m finished in the office. These small things are overlooked but are essential to a cleaner and clearer way of life. Of course, less stuff means less cleaning too, which is great because cleaning sucks.

4. Buying a slow cooker

My birthday was at the start of October, and when you become an adult you are excited by simple adult things. A slow cooker is one of these adult things.
All you do is chuck ingredients in and leave it all day and then when you come home from work you’re dinner is ready like magic.
It’s magical.
Being organised is magical.

5. Digital declutter

Unfollowing people on Instagram who do nothing but stir negative feelings of comparison inside me. Unsubscribing from YouTube channels because I’m no longer a 17-year-old girl interested in “beauty duty” of fashion and make-up.
Deleting old accounts and apps I no longer use, unsubscribing from emails I never read, deleting old folders and files on my computer. Honestly, the list goes on. For me, digital decluttering is more frustrating than physical because with digital we usually send it to this foreign place and never think about it again, and then it just sits there for decades forgotten about.
It’s all too hard and we just create new accounts and buy new digital items without even thinking about the old ones we have taking up space in our homes, in our ‘clouds.’
It’s also a HUGE and daunting task that nobody wants to do. I set a timer for 20 minutes and go forth each week. Once that timer is up, I’m done for the day. 20 minutes is nothing but over time 20 minutes because an hour and an hour becomes two and then suddenly everything is clear and clutter free and I have organised folders on my desktop.